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Shocking figures show flu jab worked on just one in three people last winter

The vaccine was effective in just 34% of cases – far lower than the normal 50% success rate. The jab for kids was only slightly better at 35%.

The problems were due to a “mismatch” between the strain of influenza used when creating the vaccine and the strain that spread across the country last winter. At one stage, worried PHE officials were predicting that the vaccine was only immunising three out of every hundred people.

Despite the low results, officials insisted that the vaccination was still “the best protection” against the flu. Along with cold weather, the virus was attributed to an increase by nearly a third in the number of deaths last winter.

Professor Paul Cosford of PHE said: “Last year we saw a slightly lower vaccine effectiveness than usual. Whilst it’s not possible to fully predict the strains that will circulate in any given season, flu vaccination remains the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus which can cause severe illness and deaths each year among at-risk groups. These include older people, pregnant women and those with a health condition, even one that is well managed.”

Reas more http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/604896/Shocking-figures-show-flu-jab-worked-on-just-one-in-three-people-last-winter

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